When The Vampire Diaries returns for Season 4, the friendship between Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Caroline (Candice Accola) that fans have been clamoring for will finally be further explored.

"I always look at Caroline as Stefan's future [best friend] Lexi [Arielle Kebbel]," executive producer Julie Plec said during this weekend's ATX Television Festival panel, moderated by this reporter. "You've seen little pockets of a friendship spark between them, and I see Caroline in the long run of the series becoming that important in Stefan's life."

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Keep reading for more seven other teases from Plec, including another important relationship that's going to be introduced, why she broke the rules with Alaric's goodbye and more!

1. Stefan will lean on Caroline during Elena's transition: "Caroline is an acolyte of the Stefan school of sobriety so to speak, so she's going to be all, 'I'm with you buddy, I'm on your team' as they try to help Elena [Nina Dobrev]," Plec said. "I remember saying in Episode 203 when Stefan takes Caroline under his wing that the two of them and their chemistry was so delightful... It's such a pleasure to watch."

2. A possible rekindling for Caroline and Matt: While Caroline is very much in love with Tyler (Michael Trevino) at this moment, after re-watching the beginnings of Caroline and Matt's relationship in Season 1, Plec said, "I think Caroline and Matt [Zach Roerig], in the long run of the series, will have another moment."

The Vampire Diaries' Accola: Caroline will be disturbed to learn she said goodbye to Klaus

3. Bonnie's dad will finally be introduced: "It's time!" Plec said when we asked about Daddy Bennett's arrival. "This year is a big year of transitions. It's the end of senior year, and there's a rich home life for everybody we're going to explore."

4. Will Joseph Morgan be back as Klaus in the season premiere? We asked Plec if this tweet to Morgan meant she could confirm he'd be in the premiere. Unfortunately, the mention was a little premature. "I actually can't say," she said. "We haven't broken [down] the script yet, so it remains to be seen how long we'll play Tyler as Klaus."

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5. Alaric (Matt Davis) could definitely return: "As long as Jeremy can see ghosts and Alaric is out there in the universe, then there's a window there," Plec said. "The moment in the end of the finale when he shows up broke every rule in the book, but I didn't care. For us it was more important for us to give Matt Davis and Alaric that last goodbye to say, 'Yes, he was the bad guy for the last few episodes, but here he is in that Obi-Wan kind of way.'"

6. Damon's evolution will continue: After re-watching a scene from the Season 1 episode "162 Candles," which screened at the festival, Plec noted that Damon (Ian Somerhalder) has evolved in the two seasons since. "This is a reminder that Damon is a character that started in a very dark place, but with a lot of love and emotion brewing under him," Plec said. "All of our characters, including his own brother, had to witness his evolution as a person and he has done some really extraordinarily sh---y things, but he has also done them in the name of love, pain, abandonment, self-preservation, survival and family. He's going to keep evolving and Elena's feelings for him are going to continue to evolve."

7. Season 4 will make viewers scream: Writer Jose Molina, who was also on the panel, perhaps gave the most agonizing tease. "We have the road map for next season and before we broke for vacation, I was staring and looking at everything we have planned and this stupid grin spread over my face," he said. "I was like, 'They are going to s---.' Already we have so many moments where people are going to freak."

What are you hoping to see when The Vampire Diaries returns in October for Season 4?

Re: The Vampire Diaries - CW

Well, the premiere was better than I thought it would be. Interesting to see what will happen now that the Pastor blew up his congregation and I am assuming most of the council. Guess, the mayor, police chief and the doctor all got their jobs back.